Hiramatsu Family Residence Barn

A 1907 Barn Opening onto the Yard

The Hiramatsu Family Residence Barn (平松家住宅納屋, Hiramatsu-ke Jūtaku Naya) is a single-storey timber barn built in 1907 in Obuse, Nagano Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 28 October 2011.

It stands roughly at the middle of the east side of the plot, abutting the toilet, charcoal and work shed range to the north. It measures 6.6 by 4.7 metres, with a building area of 32 square metres, under a gabled roof (Kirizuma-zukuri) of pan tiles (Sangawara-buki).

White Plaster over Weatherboards

The walls of the Hiramatsu Family Residence Barn are finished in white lime plaster (Shikkui), with overlapping weatherboards (Shitami-itabari) around the lower part. White above and timber below, the boards take the rain splashing up from the ground.

The door is on the west side, facing the inner yard of the compound, and is fitted with a timber door. The interior is lined with boards.

The neighbouring toilet, charcoal and work shed range on the same side is left at the intermediate clay coat, so the plastered barn is the better-dressed of the two.

Part of the Formal Front

The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the Hiramatsu Family Residence Barn as working together with the silkworm rearing house to give the old household its proper front. With the silk house holding the south-east corner, the barn next to it and the toilet, charcoal and work shed range beyond, a continuous line of outbuildings runs up the east side of the compound.

The barn was registered as contributing to the historic landscape of the country.

The barn and the toilet, charcoal and work shed range were both built in 1907. Together with the silkworm rearing house of the late Meiji years, they show the east side of the plot filling with outbuildings in a single period, and the barn sits at the centre of that line.

Viewing the Hiramatsu Family Residence Barn

The Hiramatsu Family Residence Barn stands on the east side of the plot, but its door faces west into the yard and cannot be seen from outside. How much of the east wall is visible from beyond the compound depends on walls and planting on site.

The interior is not open. The Hiramatsu Family Residence is a private home and the grounds cannot be entered.

Directions and the general conditions for visiting are on the Hiramatsu Family Residence page.